Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
CLEVELAND — As Sam Merrill was leading Bountiful High to a state championship during his senior season in 2014, he dreamt about one day starring in the NBA. He was a fan of the hometown Utah Jazz just down the road, and it was easy to fantasize about suiting up in an NBA arena.
He just didn't think it was an actual possibility.
"To be honest, in high school, my goal was to play Division I basketball," Merrill said. "The NBA was never even in my sights. I just didn't think that was going to happen because guys where I'm from usually don't."
He's proven to be the exception.
Merrill scored a career-high 27 points on eight 3-pointers to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Utah Jazz Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It was the second straight game that Merrill, who scored 19 points in a win Monday, posted a career-high.
He might not have thought it was possible to reach such heights, but the former Utah prep star and Utah State standout has arrived.
Merrill scored 17 points in the first half Wednesday, which included a stretch of three straight 3-pointers to start the second quarter. He then caught fire again to start the fourth quarter. Merrill rained in three more triples in the first five minutes of the final quarter, which helped the Cavs turn a 1-point deficit into a 14-point lead.
That stretch won the Cavs the game.
Merrill was 9-of-16 from the field and 8-of-14 from 3-point range.
"It just speaks to the work that he puts in every single day," Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "This isn't something that just happened overnight. You watch him work tirelessly every single day, and he works at game speed, so these reps aren't new to him. This is what the NBA is about; it's about making dreams come true, and he's worked his tail off, and he's definitely making his dream come true."
It was a night that Merrill had been preparing for with long hours in the gym and patience. Earlier this season, he even requested a one-on-one meeting with Bickerstaff to make sure he was doing everything he could to be ready when an opportunity did come along.
As the Cavs' injury report has grown, so has Merrill's chances. With the starting backcourt Darius Garland (jaw) and Donovan Mitchell (illness) both out Wednesday, it pushed Merrill up the rotation. And he went out and made a strong case to never leave it.
"It's exciting to be able to get some more minutes and play well, and do it all while we're also winning games," Merrill said. "That's what you dream of doing as a kid. So just another good step forward.
Wednesday's dream game was made even better because of who it was against. Merrill grew up cheering for the Jazz, and he admitted it felt different to walk by the opposing locker room and see the Jazz logo.
It was also playing with Jazz players — which, coincidentally enough, featured two current teammates in Donovan Mitchell and Georges Niang — during his latter years at Utah State that made him realize he may just have a chance.
"I was a huge Jazz fan growing up, so to be able to have a game like that against them is even more special for sure," Merrill said. "It's kind of come full circle."
Merrill's doubts about an NBA career weren't without merit, though. There have been just seven Utah prep players in history who have played five or more seasons in the NBA. Utah is a basketball-crazed state with plenty of tradition collegiately, but professional success has been hard to come by.
One more season and Merrill will join that list.
"I take that upon myself to represent my state and where I come from, and hopefully, we can just keep grinding and maybe get there," Merrill said.
After the week he's had, there could be plenty more years in store for the former Bountiful High star.
"You think about all of us, your dreams and what your commitment level is to your dream, and he exceeds that because he wants it so bad," Bickerstaff said. "He's willing to do whatever it takes at any hour of the day and any lengths to make it happen. I mean, that's the great part about the NBA is being able to participate in those moments and witness it first hand.
"It comes down to his work, his grit and desire, and it's just an awesome story."
